Just a Call Away
by Jysella
Summary: Those awkward phone calls that happen at 3 AM (or midnight or 4 in the afternoon) when you have to grow up miles away from your best friends. Updated to M due to language and implied content
1. Consequences

A/N- Because this is apparently what I do with my life now. I blame Aetheron

The phone rings, loudly cutting in through the music Misty has playing on the overhead speakers. It's midnight and she's almost done cleaning the gym. Arm deep in wash water, Misty pauses and counts slowly backwards in her head.

3

2

"Misty, like, phone." Comes ringing through the empty gym right on cue. It'd be sad if weren't so damn predictable. Briefly, Misty considers demanding that whichever sister is has told her about the phone also be the one to answer it, but it is rare that the gym gets calls this late and it might be important.

"Coming" Misty calls. She steps to the edge of the pool she's been cleaning and hauls herself up, grabbing a towel as she makes her way to the phone in the lobby, "Cerulean gym, Misty speaking." She answers before the image on the other side resolves into a tired looking black haired boy in a worn Pokémon league hat. He opens his mouth to speak but is cut off by an excited string of chatter from the Pikachu on his shoulder. Misty raises her eyebrow and waits for Pikachu to finish recounting the story of what has either been an amazing day or an artisanal ketchup. Ten minutes in the chatter, Ash finally shoos Pikachu away. Misty laughs.

"Not that I don't enjoy listening to Pikachu rave on about what I am sure was a lovely bottle of ketchup, but—"

"It was a garden Pikachu was going on about actually"

"Uh, sure, still. It is midnight here Ketchum and I have a full roster of battles for tomorrow, so, not that I don't appreciate the call, but what's up?" She rests her head on her palm in front of the phone, eyes drifting shut as she waits for Ash to respond. A day filled with battles and training and swimming and tank care and maintenance have taken its toll and Misty would love nothing more than to sleep. Still, Ash seems worried and he is one of her closest friends.

"Shoot, Mist, I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was so late." He casts his eyes down as though sorry but Misty doesn't believe it.

"Yeah. No. Sorry Ash, you are way too good with the time zones. What's bothering you?" he looks away from the phone screen and Pikachu starts chattering again, finally mimicking handing something to his trainer. Misty stifles a laugh. "Did May and Drew do something again?" Ash visibly shakes before exploding a torrent a fast paced speech of which Misty only catches a few words. She raises an eyebrow and Ash takes a few breaths before beginning anew.

"I'm sorry Mist, they are just so frustrating. It's like…she's not even trying to understand what's going on and Drew, he just," He takes his hat off to rake a hand through his hair. "Arceus, he gives her a flower damn near every time he sees her." Misty gasps at his curse and Ash shakes his head. "Surprise, I can curse." Misty laughs and mimics wiping a false tear.

"I'm so proud of you. My little Ash is all grown up." She pitches her voice cloyingly sweet and clasps her hands beneath her chin. Ash laughs.

"Yeah ok shut up. I'm not done."

"There's more?"

"They fight over nothing. Any time we run into him, we lose entire days to them arguing. Over nothing." He slams his fist on the phone table. "Nothing, Misty. How do they not see it?"

"See what?" Pikachu offers a sarcastic _chu_ in her direction and Misty sticks her tongue out at the electric rodent. "Don't you start with me mouse, you're the one who fried my bike." Pikachu wisely bounds off at Misty's glare leaving her to turn a quizzical look back towards Ash.

"How much they should just…get locked in a closet or something." He throws his hands up, exasperated and Misty laughs.

"Have you told Brock this theory?" She asks, still smiling until she catches sight of Ash's face which seems to have dropped all of its humor. She sobers instantly. "Hey, what's up with the face? Is Brock OK?"

"I don't know. He's ok, I guess?"

"Ok?"

"Yes. No. He's really down."

"Oh?" And Pikachu returns, settling on Ash's shoulder to resume chattering though this time it is directed at Ash. He sighs. "There was this girl he was talking to and," Ash trails off as though unsure how to finish but is saved from working it out by Pikachu slapping him.

"What?" Misty starts before suddenly realizing what Pikachu is trying to tell her has happened, "oh." She sits up and rotates her shoulder, her back cracks loudly and the sound echoes across the gym. Ash winces. "Why are you telling me? Go talk to him."

"You've always been better than me at this, dating stuff." Pikachu voices an agreement and Ash flushes.

"Ketchum, Pikachu is better than you at this dating thing." She air quotes the last words, smirking at Ash's growing discomfort. He says nothing and so she continues. "Fine. Bring him in. But you owe-" And suddenly, Ash is looking everywhere but the camera. "Oh, don't tell you me didn't tell him."

"OK."

"So what, you want me to call back and ask to speak to him? Ash that's—" But Ash cuts her off before she can finish.

"Knew you'd do it Mist. You're the best!" And the screen fades to black. Misty considers, really considers, just walking away from the phone, finishing scrubbing the pool and going to bed. It's late, she's tired and her day will start at 6 am regardless of the amount of sleep she gets. But its Ash and Misty has never been good at denying his requests. She stands, grabs a shirt and pulls her hair back before dialing the center. Nurse Joy picks up and Misty calmly explains who she is and who she needs to talk to. Nurse Joy is happy to page Brock for her and over the sounds of a Pokémon center in the late afternoon she hears Joy's voice overhead calling for Brock to report to the desk. It's only as Misty is sitting in front of the screen, waiting, that she realizes she doesn't have a plan. Ash had said that he didn't tell Brock he had called Misty and she can't just bring up his recent rejection out of nowhere without giving up that Ash had called first. And really that is just so like Ash, to ask a favor of a friend with no thought as to the difficulty of the task. Damn that kid, just what is she supposed to…oh. She can just complain about him. Brock loves gossip and especially when it's about herself and Ash. Brock's face resolves on the screen and Misty contorts hers into a sad smile.

"What did he do this time?"

"I have no idea what you mean." She looks up, desperately trying not to meet Brock's eyes. The things she does for that boy, he'd better appreciate it.

"Yeah, you're wearing your 'I'm going along with one of Ash's schemes' face." For a moment, Misty looks as though she might try and convince Brock that he's imaging things and that she's completely sincere. It's a moment broken when she flushes and shakes her head.

"Thank Arceus. OK, so he called and said you guys ran into…" and she pauses for a moment watching as Brock's eyes widen and breathing hitches. "Drew?" Brock breaths out.

"Yeah, he gave May another rose for her Beautifly." He draws out the last word, daring Misty to question the true intended recipient of the rose. Misty merely raises an eyebrow.

"Ash said they spent the day arguing."

"Yeah. Imagine. One of them did something nice for the other and it sparked an argument. Now where have I seen that before?" He places his finger on his chin as though thinking before pulling it away and gesturing to the sky as though he's just discovered something. Misty cuts him off before he can say whatever it is he has planned.

"Ash never handed me flowers. I wouldn't have argued with flowers."

"Funny, I never mentioned Ash. So you're saying you wouldn't have been put out if Ash had handed you, say, a daisy, lily or violet?" Misty glares.

"Screw you. We both know who you were talking about and we both know that my objection to those flowers has nothing to do with the flowers."

"So you want him to buy you flowers? Gee Misty, is there something you're not telling me about you and Ashy-boy" Misty flushes bright red and Brock, for not the first time in his friendship with the girl, wonders if it is actually physically possible for steam to come out of ones ears.

"Brock, we're been over this," she says, waving her hand as though to imply nonchalance. "We. Are. Just. Friends! Him buying me flowers wouldn't even be a, uh, thing."

"Oh, ok then." He turns around and cups his hands to his face "Hey, Ash! Misty wants you to buy her flowers."

"You didn't!? Mew, tell me you didn't." Brock grins only to regret it seconds later at Misty's vicious smirk. "Oh, we're doing this then? Fine. We're doing this. Tell me about the girl you ran into today." Brock tilts his head in what must be confusion.

"What girl?"

"Ash said you ran into some girl today and then were sad. So who'd you run into?" Brock looks down and away from the phone.

"Do you remember Evelynn?"

"No"

"She worked with me at… the Professor-who-will-not-be-named's lab."

"You mean I—" Brock cuts her off.

"Yes! Her. She-who-will-not-be-named. You know, in the Orange Islands? Evelynn was a lab tech there with me."

"Oh. So... what? Did you ask her out then?"

"NO." He flushes.

"So you did! Did she reject you?" Misty rolls her eyes. "There _are_ other Magikarp in the sea, you know?"

"That is _not_ the point." He yells, drawing a cacophony of shushes from the other denizens of the Pokémon center lobby.

"Well what is the point then, Brock? It's getting late," her eyes drift shut as she speaks.

"She's an assistant professor now working under that..." and he pauses briefly, before continuing in a mocking falsetto dripping with sarcasm, "oh too mature for me professor." Misty winces.

"Well... that's... wonderful for her? Right?"

"Yeah. No, it is," Brock replies honestly. "But…"

"Yes? Brock, I am not a mind reader. You'll need to call Sabrina if you want that." Brock shudders at the memory.

"I don't know. I guess- It's just... She's doing something with her life. Meanwhile, here I am nineteen years old and I'm still a side character in someone else's journey."

"You are _not_ a side character," Misty says firmly, voice beginning to take on her 'do not defy me or I will mallet you out of existence' tone. "Besides, I thought you wanted to be a Pokémon breeder?"

Brock sighs, visibly deflating. "I haven't really been pursuing that for a while."

"So what _do_ you want to do then? Go back to the gym?"

"No, Forest is running the gym. He loves it. I couldn't take that away from him."

"You can always co-run it like I do with my- Err, actually we're not the best example. But you can. My parents used to."

"I don't really want to be a gym leader though." Brock shrugs. "Besides, I can't leave Ash. He'd never be able to fend for himself."

"Don't do that." Misty replies angrily, finger shaking at the screen. "Don't use Ash as an excuse. He'd manage on his own... Probably. Or he'd get eaten by Ursaring. Whichever. Doesn't matter. Either way, he'd want you to like achieve your dream." Brock is quiet for a beat.

"Did you just say like in the middle of a sentence?"

"Shut! Up! You try spending weeks on end with my sisters without destroying your vocabulary. But really, what do you want to do?" She puts her head back down on her arms, yawning as she speaks. Brock smiles.

"I don't know, but I am going to figure it out. Good night Misty. Thank you."

"Good. It's worth it," she says, or would if her words weren't swallowed by a yawn. "Night."

"And Misty?"

"Yeah."

"He does think about you, you know?" Misty hums in response and hangs up the phone.

* * *

The gym bell rings at 9 Am Sunday morning-much too early for a typical newbie challenger. Misty cracks her back and walks to the door already gearing up for what she hopes will be a trainer re-working their way through the Kanto gyms. Their Pokémon are always higher levels and their strategies actually exist. Smiling fiercely she opens the door only to find only to find a delivery man standing there holding a bouquet of baby's breath with a bored expression on his face.

"Can I help you?" Misty asks, struggling to keep the disappointment from her voice.

"Delivery for Misty Waterflower?" Misty is puzzled. It is only ever her sisters who are sent flowers. Still, she signs for the delivery and takes the bundle. A card falls out of the bottom and Misty smiles to read it. In ash's messy scrawl, with a red paw print that has to be from Pikachu is a short message " Mist, Brock said I should get you flowers...is everything ok?"


	2. Beauty and the Beasts

A/N- and then more phone calls happened

Chapter 2 Beauty and the Beasts

Misty is sitting at the phone desk in the main gym when it rings, surprising her enough that she drops the washcloth she'd been using to rid her face of makeup. The gym has been closed all day—a national holiday in Kanto—but they'd gotten calls throughout the celebration. So many trainers came from outside the region and didn't know the traditions, usually they were all too happy to join the festivals and explore the local culture but sometimes they just wanted to collect their badge and move on. Misty had been answering the phone all day in between celebrating with her sisters and the people of Cerulean City. She breathes out slowly and puts a bright smile on her face.

"Cerulean Gym will be accepting challengers beginning tomorrow at noon, Misty speaking, can I help you?" She begins before the screen even resolves.

"Misty?" the response comes uncertainly from the screen. "This is Dawn. You're friends with Ash and Brock right?" Misty looks closely at the screen and is surprised to find a blue haired girl staring back at her. She racks her brain trying to recall the name 'Dawn'. She feels like she should remember it—and then it hits her. This is the new girl Ash and Brock have been traveling with. Misty looks at her again. She's pretty and so made up. Misty scrubs her face harder. Of course Ash would find a girl who could train with him and look like she walked out of a magazine at the same time. She was fairly close to their age too, if Misty remembered correctly. Somewhere around 14 to their 16 yet somehow just starting out on her journey. Apparently in Sinnoh they started later. "Misty?" the girl on the screen asks again and Misty realizes she must have been staring at nothing.

"Sorry, long day. Dawn? What's up?" Then, suddenly, Misty's eyes grow wide. Why would Dawn be calling on her own? Misty has never spoken to her not even with Ash and Brock. Arceus, are they ok? "Are Ash and Brock ok?" Dawn looks down and Misty feels her heart speed up. "What happened?"

Dawn looks up quickly enough that her hair whips back and shakes her hands back and forth. "No no no no no no," she says, repeating the words so fast that it becomes one sound. "They're fine, they're just….no this is silly. Thank you for talking to me Misty. I'll let you go."

"Dawn." Misty says firmly, and the young blue haired girl pauses immediately in her reach to hang up. "What happened?"

"I don't know. I was with them all day and they just started yelling!" Her voice cracks as she talks in the same way Ash's does when he's not telling the whole story. Misty raises an eyebrow. "Ok, I was gone for five minutes." Her voice cracks, Misty purses her lips. "Ten minutes?" Another crack, Misty puts her chin on her hand. "Ok, fifteen minutes. I wanted a milkshake."

"It's ok, Dawn. It's not your job to babysit them. But, why are you telling me this, exactly?" Dawn looks away and mumbles under her breath, flushing as she does. "What to try that one again?" She tries to keep her voice calm as she speaks, but Misty can hear the anger seeping through.

"Because they're afraid of you." Dawn repeats in a firm voice. Misty rubs her temples feeling the beginnings of a headache she suspects will only grow during this chat.

"And?"

"Fix it?" Dawn declares. Misty rubs her temples again and breathes out.

"What, exactly, happened?"

"I don't know."

"How," Misty says, in the calmest voice she can manage, "can I fix it if you don't know what happened?" Dawn visibly shrinks in the camera screen and Misty sighs. "Sorry. Just, what do you know?"

"They were yelling?" Misty swallows a scream.

"Before that?"

"I went to the café counter to get a milkshake." And then her voice brightens. "Oh and some napkins to clean up the ketchup." Misty takes a deep breath.

"What. Ketchup?"

"Well, the ketchup that Pikachu got everywhere." Dawn replies as though surprised Misty didn't know. Misty rubs her temples.

"So, they were fighting about Pikachu making a mess?"

"Of course not." Dawn shakes her head. "Pikachu gave them the ketchup to try and get them to stop fighting. Of course, Pikachu was really excited and made a huge mess in the Pokémon center lobby."

"Wait, I thought you guys were in the café?"

"We were. But they asked us to leave after Onix knocked over a table." Misty's eyes widen. What in the world was Onix doing out in a café? Brock's Pokémon were so well trained, they'd never come out unless called and Brock wouldn't call them in a café unless he was in trouble.

"Why was Onix out?"

"I don't know?" Dawn sounds confused and Misty clenches her hands.

"You," a breath, "don't know why the giant rock snake was out in the café?"

"No."

"OK. Were they fighting about Onix?"

"No, they weren't yelling yet though"

"When did they start yelling?"

"I don't know. I went to go get my milkshake and when I came back half an hour later, they were yelling." Misty blinks. Half an hour. Hadn't Dawn said fifteen minutes? Misty raises an eyebrow and Dawn wilts. "So, maybe I was gone longer?"

"You think?" Misty can barely keep the venom from her voice, Dawn shrinks back until she is barely in view of the phone.

"Sorry." Dawn sobs. Misty rubs her temples, there is no avoiding this migraine.

"It's fine Dawn. Just. Put them on the phone." Dawns face brightens.

"OK!" she giggles out, skipping away to get them. Misty stares open mouthed at the empty screen. Had Dawn just?

"Wow," Misty breathes.

"Wow what Mist?" Ash's voice asks before he sits down in front of the screen.

"Nothing… Dawn is just… Really good-" Misty cuts off as Ash starts nodding in admiration. Misty can feel her blood pressure rising and the threatening headache blooms behind her eye. Admiration, from Ash? That…she should have stayed with him. What can this little….thing…possibly have done to earn—Misty blinks. This, right now, isn't going to help anyone.

"You okay there Mist?" Ash sounds concerned. "You look like you saw a Ghastly."

"Yeah…" Misty shakes her head, and smiles at Ash. She'll just show him who's in charge, and it'll all be fine. "So… Dawn tells me you and Brock were fighting in a cafe?" Ash crosses his arms and glances away from the screen in an all too childish gesture and Misty wishes all over again that she'd never left. This is impossible over the phone. "Ash Ketchum, you look at me this second or I swear I will call your mother." He turns back around. "Good. Now what were you fighting over?"

"A girl." Brock supplies, shoving Ash sideways to share the screen. His vest is stained red and there is what looks like some dried ketchup in his hair. They push at each other for a few moments until Dawn sits between them, blocking their hands.

"A girl?" Misty asks, raising her eyebrow. "A girl made you release Onix in a café?"

"Well," Brock says, scratching the back of his head. "Dawn did that actually." Dawn laughs, a high pitched giggle of embarrassment. "So I guess, yes?" Misty glares at Dawn who raises her hands in defense.

"I thought you didn't know who released Onix?" Misty replies, rubbing her temples. Brock is sure that it's not a good sign. Dawn shrugs and Misty's face goes red as she tries not to scream at the younger girl. "So were you fighting over Dawn?" Both boys shake their heads as Dawn flushes and ducks hers.

"Gross, Misty." Dawn squeaks out. "They're both way too old for me."

"Then Paul must be ancient." Ash replies in annoyed tone. Both Dawn and Brocks jaws drop open.

"Feel free to hit him," Misty laughs. Brock takes her up on the offer, smacking Ash around Dawn's back. Ash, having grown in his years traveling, hits Brock back starting a shoving war that knocks Dawn from between them. She stands up and shoves at both of them and the three of them shove and hit one another like children in some playground squabble. Misty calls their names and waves her hands and finally whistles in the same way she does to get Gyarados's attention. The three of them stop. Brock has Dawn's hat in his hand, just out of her reach. Ash is tugging Brock's vest, pulling him down and Dawn is somehow holding one of Ash's shoes. All three stare at Misty on the screen. "Sit." Misty says, tone dripping venom. All three sit instantly. "Good. Now you are going to tell me, one at a time what happened? Clear?" All three nod. "Ash, start."

"Brock was going to stay with some girl."

"She was not some girl, Ash." Brock cuts in. Misty raises her eyebrow and Brock shrinks down.

"She was. You met her that morning and were going to stay with her. And why? Because she was cute? Brock it's just like-"

"Ash, don't." Misty cuts him off, wincing.

"-like Ivy." And that's when Brock punches him. For a few moments everyone is frozen until Ash launches himself at Brock. They're yelling now. Misty looks at her nails wondering if she should paint them. They would chip within a day with her work at the gym, but…the one time Ash had said anything about the way she'd looked, it had been a comment about her nails which had been blue that day. Her internal count reaches ten and Misty sighs, takes a deep breath and whistles, loudly. Nothing happens. . The boys are still yelling and Misty can hear Dawn squealing over the din. She starts her count again, Ash definitely deserves this. He did bring up Ivy after all.

A ten count and Misty whistles. Nothing. That's…hold on…she whistles again and not even Dawn, who has fallen out of view of the phone, acts likes she's heard the sound The yelling still hasn't stopped. Misty can only parse a few words, but those she hears are ones that break friendships. 'You don't trust me.' 'I can make my own decisions' 'throw your life away' Until Misty is able to catch Dawn's eye. "Hit them both." Misty mouths and Dawn, too shocked to argue smacks both of them with open palms. They retreat to opposite corners of the table in front of the phone. Misty scrubs a hand over her face, thankful they've stopped. The boys breathe heavily for a few moments, chests heaving as glare at one another across Dawn before Brock breaks the silence.

"She's nothing like Ivy. And even if she was, I'm old enough to make my own mistakes. Not that this would have been. Not that I was even going to stay. She invited me, Ash. She invited me to apprentice with her and her husband at the Pokémon hospital." Brock spits.

"She was married?" Ash asks, surprised. Brock nods. "And you weren't going to stay?"

"No, and if you had given me a chance to talk before you started accusing me of, I don't even know what, you'd have known that."

"Ash," Misty asks quietly, "What were you upset about? Brock's left before."

"He left, yeah. But he came back so…" He turns to Brock. "You came back so sad. And you didn't want to be a breeder anymore and….I didn't want you to stop wanting…what do you want?"

"I don't know. But trying out new things and studying with new people is the only way I'm going to learn. I'm not leaving now, but I may soon. Is that ok?" Brock won't meet his eyes and Misty takes a deep breath. Ash says nothing for a few beats before breaking into a smile and rushing around dawn to hug Brock.

"Of course it's ok, you'll be the best at whatever you want to be Brock!"

Misty let's out the breath she'd been holding. "So, you two are ok?" she asks. Both boys nod and Misty smiles. "Good." It's not a good smile and both boys shiver in fear of what is to come. "But if you ever do that again, I swear to Mew I will fly to Sinnoh and mallet you both. And don't think you can hide it, Dawn will tell me. Are we understood?"

"Yes ma'am" Brock and Dawn chorus.

"Ash?" Misty asks dangerously, he smirks.

"So, if we fight again…you'll come to Sinnoh?" Ash asks. Without waiting for a response, he turns and smacks Brock before running off through a silent lobby. Brock blinks at the phone.

"So I guess I'll see you on the next flight then?" He asks, running off after Ash. Misty puts her head in her hands wishing half-heartedly that she'd never pulled Ash out of that river.

"Misty?" Dawn asks quietly. Misty hums in response. "Thanks, for the help." Something crashes distantly and Nurse Joy begins yelling. Dawn cringes. "I better go stop them." Dawn reaches forward to turn out the phone when an angry _Pikachu_ echoes through the center and the lights flicker. "Or maybe I'll go get an ice cream." And she hangs up.


	3. Older and Far Away

A/N-So...this chapter didn't want to write for which I blame the Unova region...also holidays? So I decided to take a page out of another fic and write short scenes ...and then this chapter was twice as long as everything else...oops?

Ch. 3~~ Older and Far Away

Midnight and the phone is ringing in the Cerulean gym. The sound bounces off walls and echoes through empty pools.

No one answers.

It ricochets through the main hall and vibrates papers off desks.

No one answers.

The sound bounds through deserted corridors and dances across abandoned costumes.

No one answers.

Feebly it rings once more and falls silent.

Daisy, in her studio, breathes a sigh of relief. It had been breaking her concentration and really yoga is all about concentration.

Lily too sighs at its absence. Her wet nails scream her inability to handle the phone but it wasn't her turn. She'd answered the phone a month ago.

Violet smiles at the quiet, the interview she's reading is so much easier to focus on without the constant blare of the phone.

They really should unplug it, but Misty had yelled at them louder than the phone had ever been the last time they had tried that. And the stress, it was so bad for everyone's complexions. The league hadn't been happy either. No, it was better to leave the phones to Misty. She must have answered it.

Alone in her room, Misty rolls over, happy the alarm has stopped. It's late, she knows, and she should get up. There will be challengers waiting. Still, her bed is warm and the room is quiet and she feels as though she's only shut her eyes moments earlier.

* * *

Ash shifts from foot to foot as the phone rings, hoping someone picks up. He's tried three times to call today alone and he's beginning to get worried. The phone rings again and he shifts to his other foot, jostling Pikachu just one time too many. Pikachu lets loose a thunderbolt just as the phone picks up and Ash is left looking slightly singed staring as the red orange hair of his best friend comes into view. She laughs as he coughs up char.

"Hey Mist," he starts, leaning on the phone desk in what he hopes is a charming fashion. His hand slips and he falls causing Pikachu to shock him anew. Misty laughs harder. "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." Ash moans from the floor.

"Well, that's one way to start the day. What's going on, Ash? How's life without Brock? And speak fast, I've got maybe ten minutes before I have to open the gym."

"I need your help." He replies simply. Misty blinks.

"Well yes, that's a given. Oh by the way, I signed your name to the gift I sent your mom for her birthday."

"Shoot. When was her birthday? I can't believe I forgot."

"About three weeks after Brocks." Ash's face falls and Pikachu offers an apologetic _pika._

"I'm so sorry Misty, I can't believe I forgot."

"You didn't, I signed your name to my gift."

"Thanks, Mist. You're the best. What would I do without you?" On his shoulder, Pikachu nods emphatically.

Misty smiles, "Be murdered by all of your friends and family I imagine, now did you need my help with anything specifically? I've got like five minutes left"

"A girl." For a moment a sad look passes Misty's face. Her smile drops and eyes glaze. Pikachu offers a sad _chu_ at the statement and smacks Ash's head. The moment passes quickly and Misty's lips twist into a joking smile.

"What did you do, fry some girls bike again?" Ash hangs his head and mumbles something Misty can't quite hear. "Mew, tell me you didn't? Ash, you've been in Unova for like a day. How did you bring your total to four bikes? How do you possibly have that kind of luck?"

"I didn't fry her bike." Ash mumbles.

Misty's face falls again. She doesn't want to help him with some strange girl. And why does he need her help. "Are you sure this isn't a Brock question?"

Ash scoffs. "You feeling ok, Mist? You want me to ask Brock for help with a girl?" Misty stifles a laugh at the idea. "Come on Mist, will you help me or not?"

"I don't know," she trails off, hand on her chin as though considering a very serious question. She;s never turned Ash down before, and if this is what he wants. "They might revoke my girl card if I help you with this one."

Ash's eyes go wide. "Well, I don't want to get you in trouble." He responds sadly. "I guess I will call Brock." He reaches to turn off the phone.

"Wait, Ash, I'm kidding. I'll help. What happened?" Ash smiles victoriously and Misty knows she's been had. "Who taught you to do that?"

"Dawn, actually." Ash replied, tone dripping with pride.

"Great, Dawn. She's someone to learn from." Misty shakes her head, mumbling the last of her statement under her breath. Ash never understood why the two girls couldn't get along. Dawn was so much like him and he and Misty were great friends. It just made no sense. He really would never understand girls. But, still, he needed Misty's help.

"I tried to catch this girl, Iris."

This time it's Misty whose eyes widen, "Run that by me again Ketchum?"

"I thought she was a Pokémon?" Ash offers hesitantly.

Misty laughs. "Only you, Ash. Only you."  
"How do I fix it?" His voice squeaks as he says it and Ash cringes. At seventeen, he's years past that particular fun and he wishes it would stop happening any time he was upset.

Misty shrugs. "I don't know. Did you try apologizing?" Ash nods his head sadly.

Misty opens her mouth to reply again when the gym chimes sound. Misty sighs. "Sorry, Ash. I gotta go. Battles call, you know." She flashes a grin at the phone. "Try flowers?" she says before the screen fades to black. Ash groans. She'd thrown those out. Iris was never going to forgive him.

* * *

 _Please, please, please._ Misty thinks to herself as she dials the strange new number Brock had given her for his dorm. He'd started school only so recently and Misty hates to bother him but she really needs the help. Her sisters are driving her crazy and the league is breathing down her throat and there's some recertification thing she needs to do that no one has told her about. Her breath speeds up thinking about it and Misty leans her head against the phones screen just trying to breathe. Eyes closed she focusses on her breath. One, two, three, breathe. She misses a face resolve on the screen and nearly doesn't hear a voice call out asking who was there.

"Thank Arceus, Brock I," and she trails off, finally looking at the person on screen. He's a guy, she thinks, but with blonde hair to Brock's black and very clear blue eyes to Brock's squint. On the screen the strange man clears his throat and Misty flushes. "Oh, I'm sorry, I must have dialed the wrong number. I was trying to reach my friend Brock?"

"Oh yeah, Brock-o. You're trying to reach him?" his eyes rove up and down Misty's body as he talks, taking in all he can within the phone screens allowance. Misty hadn't thought to do anything more than throw a shirt over her swimsuit to call Brock. The older boy was practically her brother and she'd had conversations with him while wearing so much…less. Though, Misty probably wouldn't have bothered to put on more than a shirt to talk to Ash either and she definitely didn't think of him as a brother. Still, for either of the boys it had less to do with how she thought of them and more to do with the fact that spending so long together on a journey meant that they'd had long talks when they were in a towel just gotten out of the shower or at midnight camping when it was too hot to wear anything beyond what modesty required. But now, suddenly, Misty finds herself fighting the urge to pull her shirt closed. The eyes, and smirk, on the face in front of her are just all too familiar from meeting her sisters…friends…at the breakfast table and yet somehow they set her teeth on edge at the same time.

The guy in question finishes, his eyes settling just south of her neckline, and Misty shudders in revulsion. "Yes. Brock. I have question for him. Is he around?"

"He's at class. But don't worry about him." He tells her with a leer. "I'm sure you and I can have a nice talk." He winks and Misty fights the urge to throw up in her mouth.

"You don't even know my name."

"Don't have to, beautiful. How about a date?" Misty raises her eyebrow. This guy definitely reminds her of the losers her sisters liked to play with for reasons she doubts even Arceus understands.

"Just like that?" She asks, her tone the kind of sickly sweet that even Ash knows means danger. "You don't even want to know my name? Or who I am, or what I do?"

"Nope." He replies, popping the p in a way that makes Misty wish Pikachu were there to shock him. "I'm hot." His eyes drift south with all of the subtlety of a Gyarados. "You're hot. Seems like a good match."

"Really?" Misty sighs in exasperation. Taking a deep breath and reminding herself that Brock has to live with this narcissistic jerk, Misty tries to remain calm. "I could be Brocks girlfriend-"

"You could do better." He cuts her off. In her head, Misty chants repeatedly that this is Brocks roommate. She can tolerate him to the end of this call. Which, really, why is she even still talking to him?

"Or his sister." She continues, as calmly as she can manage.

"You don't look like him." He says dismissively as his eyes rove once more down her body. Misty clenches her hands. "So what do you say, gorgeous? Enjoy a fiery night on the town?"

Misty can definitely taste the vomit in the back of her mouth this time. "Sorry, stud," she spits. "I don't really do fire. I'm more of a water girl."

"So I can see." He replies, licking his lips before his eyes finally begin wandering their way back up to meet hers. Misty can feel her face going red. She's tried. She's really tried. But she is done with this.

"I'm sorry, loser, I've got a gym to run. Let Brock know I called?"

"I don't even get a name, bitch?"

"Nope, you didn't want it." Misty wouldn't trust him to pass on the message anyway. She reaches towards the button to hang up, pausing only as a look of horror crosses his face.

"Shit. You're the Cerulean runt. Gross, I do not need to earn another Waterflower badge"

"You know," she replies, leaning her head against her first, middle finger extended. "That's convenient because I don't date Muk." She grimaces, a mockery of an apologetic smile, and hangs up. She'll try again later, but strangely, she already feels better. Right now though, she needs a shower. Maybe two.

* * *

The Pewter gym resolves fuzzily behind a blurred person with spikey hair and squinting eyes. Ash starts talking before the image clarifies further. "Brock, hey. I have a question." Pikachu tries to stop him from talking, but Ash brushes the Pokémon away. "Come on, Pikachu, its Brock." Pikachu disagrees with a firm _ka_ but Ash is already turning back to the person on the screen. The sound of a throat clearing draws Ash's eyes quickly back to…"You're not Brock." The figure nods, gesturing down at his green striped shirt and out to the Pewter gym behind him. "Forrest?" Another nod. "I suppose the clothes should have been a giveaway." Pikachu nods emphatically. "Where's Brock?"

"School." Forrest replies.

"Right." Ash says, laughing. "I did know that. Sorry." Forrest nods. "So what's it like being a gym leader?" Ash continues, trying to keep the conversation going. Forrest shrugs. "You don't talk much, do you?" Forrest shakes his head. "Right. I'll just…call Brock then." Forrest nods and hangs up.

* * *

The phone rings in the Cerulean gym and Violet, fearing another outburst from Misty, answers on the first ring.

"Like hello. Cerulean gym, you're speaking with Sensational Sister Violet." Brock tries. He really does. But Violet is just so beautiful and Brock…does not actually remember why he's called. "Like hello?" Violet says again. Brock knows that he's called for some reason but Violet has the prettiest—

Brock smacks himself.

Misty.

He had to speak to Misty.

"Is Misty there?" Brock asks through gritted teeth, face titled to the ceiling. Must. Not. Hit. On. Misty's. Sister.

"Like, I don't know. Daisy?" Violet calls and suddenly both she and Daisy are on screen. Brock can feel his jaw slacken. Daisy has the best br—NO he slaps himself again -brown eyes. They are the bluest shade of brown he has ever seen but they are very, very, pretty. These are Misty's sisters. He will not look down their very, very tight shirts. He can hold it together.

"Yes, Vi?" Daisy asks. Brock keeps his eyes locked on hers.

"Is Misty around?" Violet replies, Brocks eyes whip to hers. And then drop. Centimeter by centimeter by-no, he forces his eyes back up to Violet's.

"I don't, like, know." Daisy says, sadly.

"That's like, alright." Violet replies. "Let's call Lily." And together they call for their third sister. Brock's eyes go wide. He can do this.

"Yes?" Lily asks, joining her sisters on screen. Her top is, somehow, tighter than either of her sisters and Brock- keeps his eyes on the girls' faces. He can do this.

"Like yeah, Violet, what did you need?" Brock's eyes drift down, resting on the girls' chins. But no lower. He can-

Violet laughs. "Oh my gosh, I've already like forgotten. What did you need?" She asks Brock.

He can't do this. Brock's jaw goes slack and he can feel drool threatening to drop from the corner of his mouth. His vision goes hazy and his mind stops working. He knows where his eyes are and they are definitely somewhere that would result in Misty malleting him back to Pewter. He mumbles something—maybe an invitation out—before all three sisters go red and hang up the phone in a huff. Brock sighs.

* * *

Ash rushes down to the main desk of the Pokémon center as soon as he hears his name called overhead. He's breathing hard when he reaches Nurse Joy, Pikachu just barely holding on to his cap.

"I'm." he breathes. "Ash Ketchum." He coughs.

"Phone." Nurse Joy responds cheerfully, and points Ash towards the phone desk. Ash is puzzled. It's not the day he typically speaks to Misty nor is it time for one of his mother's monthly phone calls. He hasn't spoken to May, he supposes, and it might be her but Ash is fairly certain he hasn't told the other girl where he is. Likewise, Dawn doesn't know either. Which leaves…

"Hi, Brock" Ash says as soon as he is in view of the screen.

Brock smiles. "Ash. I need help."

Ash again is puzzled. Brock never calls him for help. It's always the other way around. But he'd love to help the older boy. "What can I do?"

"I knew you'd help man. I need girl help."

Ash has no idea what has happened with his day. It started normally enough. There was a gym battle and some recovery time and he and Iris and Cilan defeated Team Rocket. Somewhere in there though there must have been a portal he stepped through, maybe a legendary playing a trick. Ash was not good with girls, his track record with bikes alone should have proven that. "Are you sure this isn't a Misty question?" Ash asks hopefully. Brock shakes his head. "I'm not any good with girls." Ash tries, one last time.

Brock scoffs. "Ash you have had a girl with you nearly every day of your journey since you started it at ten. I think you are pretty good with girls."

Ash can't help but laugh. "Brock, all of those girls hated me at first. They're just friends now. Except Iris, I am pretty sure she still hates me. At least, she keeps calling me a little kid."

"Ash, you are oblivious. Those girls all adored you. And you are a little kid if you can't see it."

"Right. So, it's a Misty question then?" Ash asks hopefully.

Brock shakes his head. "Misty especially adores you."

"So this girl…" Ash says, flushing. Maybe if he changes the subject, Brock won't start in about Misty.

"Don't change the subject." Brock says.

"I'm not…I was trying to help?"

"Right, the girl. How do you talk to girls?" Brocks pulls out a notebook and pen, ready to record everything Ash says. Ash reaches a hand behind his back and scratches. Pikachu offers a sad _Pika_ before wondering off. Ash watches Pikachu go and wishes he could join in the running away. He doesn't know how to answer this question and suspects that saying _like people_ will not go over well.

"Try talking to them…normally?" Ash says, cringing. Brock sighs.

"Come on, man. I need your help. What's your secret?"

Ash pulls off his cap to rake a hand through his hair. "I don't know, Brock. I just talk to them. Normally."

"What do you mean, normally?" Brock asks, quoting the final word. Ash bunches his hat in his hand.

"I don't think about it. I just talk." Brock dutifully writes down 'don't think, just talk' and underlines it several times.

"Thanks, Ash." He says, hanging up. Ash winces, sure this can't end well. When Brock calls again several days later sporting a large hand-shaped bruise, Ash wisely doesn't ask but is pretty sure that Brock will call Misty for help in the future.

* * *

The phone clicks on but nobody answers. Ash peers into the screen trying to find somebody, anybody, behind the view. No one is there. "Hello?" he calls tentatively. Pikachu on his shoulder issues a similar call. He waits a moment and then another and is finally leaning forward to hang up when a face resolves on the other end.

"Like, hi! You've reached the Cerulean gym. Sensational Sister Daisy speaking." She's looking away from the screen and boredly twirling her hair. Subconsciously, Ash shifts his stance, gearing for a fight.

"Hi Daisy." Ash says, Pikachu offering a friendly _Pika_. "Is Misty around?"

"Like no. She's battling right now." Daisy tosses her hair and looks at her nails, still refusing to even engage with Ash. He sighs.

"Can I leave her a message?"

"Like gross. Do I look like her secretary?"

"Please Daisy" Ash tries. He doesn't mean to plead but it comes out like a wine and Daisy, despite herself, makes eye contact with him through the phone. Her eyes widen at his face and Ash knows what's coming. He barely manages to cover Pikachu's ears and his own before Daisy squeals in a pitch he's certain would make a Houndours' ears bleed. When Ash finally looks back at the screen, all three Sensational Sisters are standing there. Pikachu gestures hanging up but Ash knows that will only make it worse and Misty will yell at him when he finally reaches her. He sighs and stands up as straight as he can, wishing he'd just sent Misty a letter.

"Mew, you're, like, Misty's little boyfriend!" Daisy screeches. Lily and Violet are jumping just behind her, giggling at how adorable it is that their runt of a sister has a boy. Ash shakes his head.

"She's not my girlfriend," he says, rehashing a conversation that he is, honestly, tired of having.

"That's a load of Tauros," one of the other sisters says. Violet, maybe? She has blue hair.

"Yeah," the third sister—Lily?—says, shaking out her hair. "We all saw that necklace you sent her."

Ash flushes. "It was a thank you present." He says and it was. Misty had signed his name to practically every card and gift she'd sent that year. She'd even remembered to send gifts to May and Dawn even though she never seemed to like either girl. The necklace hadn't been much; he'd seen it in a stall in Nimbasa City and bought it without really any thought.

"And, like, don't forget the flowers." Daisy adds. Ash flushes brighter. He'd sent Misty flowers once every few months since they had been fifteen.

"They're just flowers, Daisy." Ash moans. All three sisters raise their eyebrows in an eerie imitation of an expression Misty makes when she doesn't believe a word he's said. On his shoulder, Pikachu is repeating the gesture. "Oh come on, Pikachu. Not you too." Pikachu offers only a sarcastic _chu_ in response. "Fine. Think what you want to. Is Mist around?"

"Like, that's adorable. You even have a nickname for her." Violet coos. Ash smacks his head. Pikachu laughs.

"Never mind, I'll call back later." He says, hanging up.

* * *

The phone rings in the Castelia city Pokémon center and Nurse Joy tiredly picks it up hoping that it is not yet another emergency. Were she looking more closely, Joy might have noticed that the call was coming in from Kanto—a place regions away. But the day already had involved several trainers running their Pokémon ragged. The beginning of the season was always rough. Young trainers rarely knew when they had to stop and their Pokémon paid the price. And their parents. If it's not the gym leader calling requesting immediate transport for another Pokémon pushed too far, it's one of the new trainers' parents trying desperately to get a hold of their kids. Nurse Joy is thankful that Unova doesn't allow trainers licenses younger than sixteen. She's heard of some other regions where the trainers start at ten and she can't imagine the phone calls those Joys must get.

Nurse Joy yawns again and glances at the screen, gasping when a young girl materializes on the other end. She looks to be only around sixteen or seventeen, much too young to be a parent searching for their child. And the kids rarely call the centers looking for one another. All of their devices have personal lines that they never seem to share with their parents. The girl though, she looks exhausted. She has bags under her eyes that speak of days awake and she's shivering despite the large towel draped around her body. Her lips almost look blue-a color that clashes with the bright orange hair that hangs limply around her face. For a moment, Nurse Joy is truly worried. This could be bad but she sighs in relief when, despite how tired the girl on the screen looks, she smiles brightly.

"Mew, I thought I'd never get through. Is this the Castelia center?" she stumbles over the towns name as though she hasn't said it before. Nurse Joy nods and fights a yawn.

"Yes, miss. Can I help you?"

"I'm looking for a friend of mine, a trainer?" Nurse Joy blinks. She's never had one of the trainers try to reach another through her. She's not even sure she can give out that information. Then again, this girl is clearly not calling from a Pokémon center and doesn't have any Pokémon with her. Maybe she's not a trainer but someone left at home.

"Of course, miss. What's her name?" Nurse Joy asks, pulling up the room registry.

"His. Ash Ketchum." The girl replies. Joy looks through the list quickly but doesn't find the name.

"I'm sorry miss, he doesn't seem to be on my registry." The girls smile dims and Joy sighs. She must be a friend left at home. Or maybe something more than a friend. The girl's friend isn't at her center but…she can check the other lists. Joy isn't supposed too, it's an emergency measure really, leftover from the wars. But…this girl looks so sad. "I can check the other centers in the region if you like?"

"No. That's alright. I'll just, try again later." The girl sighs, shivering harder.

"Trainers get delayed all the time. I'm sure your friend is fine." The girl nods sadly. A Gyarados roars somewhere distantly and the girl on the screen turns her head to call back to it. The roaring calms and the girl turns back to the screen.

"He's very good at finding trouble, but he promised me he'd be the center by now." She coughs and again looks somewhere off screen as though listening to something. She nods once and turns back. "Can I leave him a message?"

"Of course." Joy responds, grabbing a paper and pen. "I can't guarantee he'll get it…"

"That's fine." The girl responds, cutting Joy off. "Just let him know Misty was looking for him."

"Misty…"

"Waterflower. He knows who I am though." And the girl hangs up leaving the screen to fade to black. Nurse Joy gasps at the name; the exhausted teenager on her phone was one of the youngest successful gym leaders in the Kanto region. She was almost unbeatable if Joy's cousins were to be believed, but she never seemed to send a single Pokémon to the center in crisis. Unova's leaders could learn a lot from that girl. The phone rings again and Nurse Joy plasters a smile to her face hoping it's a parent and not a gym leader calling for help. She's disappointed. She almost always is.

* * *

"Brock, I've messed up." Are the first words Brock hears when he answers the phone in his dorm. It's after the midseason break and the place is finally beginning to feel like a home. And Brock is doing well. He doesn't want to be dragged into what he's sure is another one of Ash's Schemes. He scrubs a hand over his face and smiles.

"Is this about that Iris girl? Misty already told me about that and I'm with her, just give her some..."

"I messed up with Misty." Ash cuts him off, stressing his best friends' name.

"Arceus, Ash. What did you do?" Brock asks, settling down for a long conversation. Ash looks away from the screen, refusing to make eye contact. It's silent for a few moments until Pikachu breaks in with a long string of chatter ending with a mimed object running or floating away. Brock blinks "OK. Thank you, Pikachu. What did you do?" Ash mumbles something in response. "No. It has to be louder Ash. I am not Misty. I do not understand your mumbles." Ash's head falls to his chest again.

"She's never going to speak to me again" Ash mumbles marginally louder.

"I seriously doubt that. What did you do?"

Ash breathes out. "I lost her lure." Brock puts his face in his hands. This is not something that should create this much heart ache. She'll yell, of course. It's Misty that's what she does. And Ash will yell back and then Pikachu will shock him and they'll both apologize and then stare awkwardly at each other until something at the gym explodes and Misty has to handle it. That's how these conversations go between them. Brock knows, Delia knows. Arceus, Gary Oak knows.

"Did you tell her that?" Brock asks. Ash nods and yet still looks sad. This is new. "Then what happened."

"Well we fought and then she had to go and I called back the next day and some guy answered the phone."

"A guy?" Brock asks, raising an eyebrow. "Misty's sisters have people over all the time."

"Misty doesn't let them answer the Phone. Misty doesn't even let me answer the phone."

Brock raises his eyebrow again. "When have you tried?"

Ash flushes. "Us, I meant us. When we were there? That time?" Brock nods. "Anyway this guy was our age. My age. And he had this floppy hair. And…"

"It's just Georgio." Brock cuts in, sighing. One day he is going to lock Ash and Misty in a closet and walk away until they sort it out. Tracey will probably even help him. Mew, Delia might help him at this point.

"Georgio?" Ash asks, nearly growling. Pikachu's cheeks spark and Brock is unsure if Pikachu plans on calming Ash or if it is shared anger.

"He works in the gym. He answers phones and stuff. That's all. Is that jealousy?"

"NO." Ash shouts.

"Good. You shouldn't be jealous anyway, Misty rejected him."

"What?" Ash screams and likely would have said more had Pikachu not shocked him at that moment causing the phone to cut out. Brock laughs and goes back to his work. That closet though, one of these days.

* * *

He's panicked when Misty finally reaches the phone, having blundered his way through conversations with Georgio and all three Sensational Sisters. Misty can't even parse the words that are tumbling out of his mouth. She has to tell him three separate times to stop, back up and repeat his previous sentence. Finally Brock takes a deep breath, looks away from the screen and, refusing to make eye contact, spouts a sentence Misty never expected to hear.  
"Did you sleep with Ash?"

Misty is dumbfounded, she stares at Brock, who is still refusing to meet her eyes, with her mouth locked open in surprise. What in the world-"Excuse me?" She asks, face flushing warm and red.

"Ash. Did you sleep with him?"

Misty's mouth opens and shuts a few times. "Brock we're just…"

Brock cuts her off, waving her denial away with his hand. "Or did he sleep with that new girl of his? Iris?"

Misty can feel a headache coming on, that vein behind her eye is throbbing and her mouth has gone dry. "What?" she blurts out, still trying to gain some traction in wherever this conversation has gone.

"Don't make me say it again." Brock moans, steadfastly looking away from the screen.

"Arceus, Brock, why are you even asking?"

"Michael said-"

"Who is Michael?"

"My roommate."

Misty scoffs. "And you trust anything he says?"

"Well, not much. But this time. He said something about Ash calling and losing a cherry." Brock nods as though he's said something terribly important. He's still refusing to meet Misty's eyes. She blinks.

"And from that you got to…" She trails off, still confused.

"Well obviously, I mean, if he lost his cherry."

"You sure it was cherry?"

"Yes." Misty raises her eyebrow. "Probably." Misty rests her chin on her hand. "No."

"So why did you think…" Misty trails off, not wanting to bring it up again.

"Because Michael also said something about, well…" And Brock trails off, glancing down.

Misty's eyes widen. "Tell me you did not just check me out."

"NO. But that's what Michael said." Brock sighs, flushing.

"So chest cherry and you went to…" Misty looks up, repeating the words to herself. "Do you think he meant a Chesto Berry?" She asks.

"A Chesto Berry?" Brock raises an eyebrow. Misty is not usually one to know Pokémon remedies off of the top of her head.

"Yeah. Ash's mom mentioned them at dinner on Tuesday."

"You had dinner with Ash's mom on Tuesday?" Brock finally meets Misty's eyes.

She nods, unconcerned. "Yes. We have dinner together every month." Brock nods and Misty flushes. "It doesn't mean anything. She misses Ash and…" Misty trails off again and Brock smirks.

"So do you? You're probably right. It was probably a Chesto Berry he was asking about." And it does make sense for that to have been Ash's question. The berries are fantastic at curing sleep and they tend to make food more palatable to water-type Pokémon as well. Brocks fairly certain he knows why Ash was asking. He opens his mouth to tell Misty when the gym bells chime, cutting him off.

"Sorry, Brock." Misty smiles, shrugging. "Duty calls." She reaches to hang up the phone before stopping and offering Brock a truly dangerous smirk. Brock shivers at the look. "By the way, it's 'popped your cherry'."

"What?" Brock asks, truly puzzled.

"The expression. You'd say 'I popped his cherry'." She says, hanging up. Brock blinks at the blank screen. Did she just? Brocks mouth drops open and he flushes to his hair. Nope. He's not going to think about it. He doesn't want to know.


	4. Surprise

A/N- Fun story, this chapter is actually the first one I wrote way back when and then I realized it was not a first chapter and had to work my way back to it. Of course this was after Aetheron had pulled me kicking and screaming (ok I really didn't put up a fight) back into writing fanfiction and I decided to do a pokeshippers week at the beginning of November and then figured, you know whatever I was almost a quarter of the way to NaNoWriMo and might as well go for it (I didn't make it) but yeah...all of those things

4th Chapter~~Surprise

"It's just sex," she says, shaking her wet hair back with a flick of her head. Brock is stunned. It's late, it's always late when she manages to get away and call and honestly that works for him. Medical school and his family combined don't leave him with much time. But this is not a conversation he ever thought he'd be having with his surrogate little sister. Though, he supposes, it's his fault.

She's sitting, as she always is when they have these talks, in the main hall of the Cerulean gym. The overhead lights are out leaving her illuminated by only the faint blue glow of the lights of the night active Pokémon. Her hair is down and drenched and she's sitting in front of the screen in a bathing suit and towel. As she has done since first returning to the gym and beginning weekly talks with Brock, Misty has a pokepuff in one hand and a rice ball in the other. She alternates, as she gestures with her words, taking a bite of her meal and feeding one of the pokémon—this time a young horsea who is not thriving—with the other. Though she and Brock have repeated this song and dance for nearly three years, he has never, ever, seen her mess up the order and take a bite of the pokémon's food—but Brock would be lying if he didn't think that would be hilarious.

Brock's torn between wanting to know how this girl, this girl who has watched grow up, has achieved this opinion and shoving his fingers in his ears and singing at the top of lungs. It must show on his face because Misty laughs and offers Horsea another bite of its food.

"Seriously, it'll get rid of all of the anxiety. Also? All of that 'does she like me' taurosshit is dealt with right off. And if it sucks? Then it sucks and it's done." She raises her eyebrow and punctuates her sentence by taking a bite from her riceball.

"I don't know Mist, doesn't that take all of the romance out of it?" He doesn't even know how they came to be discussing this. Brock originally called to talk about this new girl he'd met and how nervous he was about where it was going. Somehow it had from that to Misty advocating that he just proposition this girl.

"Only Ash calls me Mist." She responds reflexively, before tilting her head up as though to think. "Romance takes work? Do you even have time for that now?" She offers the horsea another bite. She's not even flushed. Half of Brock is envious of her ability to talk about this without blushing. It's like it doesn't even bother her. But he's also sad. When she'd been ten, Misty had been all about romance. Sure, the girl had been a little rough around the edges and certainly not someone to be called girly but she had been a romantic.

"Well no, but that doesn't mean all I want is…you know"

"Sex, Brock. The word is sex. We're not kids anymore. It's not a dirty word." She's smiling as she speaks and shaking her head as though surprised she has to say it. Brock flushes brighter and Misty laughs. "You know, I'm kind of surprised that you're so squeamish about this."

"Me too." Brock mutters under his breath and Misty, clearly hearing it, only laughs harder. "Really though, I think just going for," and he flushes bringing fresh peals of laughter from the girl on the screen, "sex is kind of…I don't know. Wrong?"

"Fuck that."

"Well, not as an opening move?"

"And why the hell not? Dating takes time and has all of this tension and it's so full of… misunderstandings…Sex is just…easier," she trails off before taking another bite of her riceball.

"And just how have you come to this opinion?" He tries for his best _I'm disappointed in you young lady_ voice but it squeaks at the end and he flushes, feeling for all the world like the hormonal fourteen year old he was when he'd first met her. She smiles viciously and he knows he's been made. This is going to sting.

"First of all," she starts, placing her riceball on the table, "Eww. I'm sorry Brock, I love you but you are not privy to that much information about my private life. Secondly," she smiles again, "a lady doesn't kiss and tell. She just gossips about her sisters." For a moment Brock wishes Ash would join their conversations if only because he will inevitably say something about Misty being a lady and the dubiousness of that claim thereby beginning a fight and ending this conversation. He's traveling though, Ash is, with new people in new places. And besides, though he loved the two of them dearly, Brock was not in the mood to deal with their shared vibe with Misty in the place she seemed to be tonight.

Brock's going to cut in when Misty continues. "In an unrelated note, did you know I thought the gym was haunted until I was ten? Turns out creaking furniture can definitely sound like chains." And just like that, Brock is horrified again. Her sisters are, at their closest, ten years older than Misty, and she and all of her sisters were definitely (if his recent gym stays were any indication) more than ok with new people randomly appearing at the breakfast table. "Yeah," Misty continues, feeding the horsea again, "pools are pretty much echo chambers." Brock winces.

"Your childhood trauma aside, I still don't think that'll work for me." Brock says. "I want something more than that."

"Then just _talk_ to the girl. Seriously. It can't be any worse than having this conversation with me"

"You're right." Brock says, because nothing could be worse or more awkward than this conversation.

That's roughly when it hits him. Misty doesn't talk like this. She's a romantic, same as she had been at ten. There's no way she ever thought that sex alone was the answer. But this conversation? This has been one of the most uncomfortable, awkward, terrible conversations he has ever had. For a moment he's full of confidence. He can do this.

No problem.

Misty smirks. Of course she smirks. He drops his head to the table. She's done this on purpose. "Thanks Misty."

"Any time Brock," she replies, taking a bite of the riceball. And he should really let it die there. It's not his place to know and there are other things he could ask about. He's not even sure he wants to know. This girl has been his surrogate little sister since they were kids. But, really, one awful turn deserves another. Brock swallows hard. Besides, he kind of wants to know.

Maybe.

He might regret this.

"So you never then?" He starts, and Misty's hand falls halfway to her mouth. She works her mouth open and shut a few times and is near tomato red before she responds.

"I really don't see how that is any of your business. Besides, a lady doesn't kiss and tell." Her voice is breezy as she speaks, the way it always becomes when she is trying very hard to dismiss an idea before it comes to bear. Nonchalantly she picks up her hand, the one holding the pokepuff intended for her Horsea, and brings it to her mouth. Brock knows he should stop her but—she sputters, spitting the food out into the trash beside her and raking her hand over her tongue. Brock laughs. She kind of deserved that. She coughs, spitting air into the trashcan, and true to her earlier words it echoes harshly around the empty gym.

"You could have warned me." She glares and Brock is glad that he is a few cities away because even with the distance he is nervous.

"I certainly could have." He replies, the horsea starts crying at the other end and Misty bounces it on her knee, looking around to see what could have spooked it. Footsteps echo through the gym faintly beyond the cries of the scared horsea. Misty's cough must have woken someone up, though he could have sworn Misty had said none of her sisters were in the gym. The lights flicker on. Misty's face drains of color.

"Misty?" a deep voice calls, it's vaguely familiar. Familiar and definitely male. Misty curses under her breath. "You ok?" and Brock can almost see her thinking. She turns away from the screen momentarily to call behind her.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Go back to bed." Her voice is still rough from coughing, though the Horsea seems to be calmer at the other voice.

"You don't sound fine, Mist. Come back to bed." Brock's eyebrows shoot to his hair. "Can't you can finish feeding Horsea in the morning?" the voice continues.

"Horsea needs to eat _again_ in the morning," she scoffs. Brocks swears he can hear a faint _Pika!_ admonishing someone in the background but he must be hearing things. Misty's eyes grow wide. "Soon," she says loudly and it is definitely followed by an exasperated _pika_. He is not hearing things. For once Brock is thankful that Misty is splitting her attention because, when she turns from the phone, making shooing motions with her free hand, she misses the grin Brock's face breaks into. "Let me just finish, ok?" She must get the response she wants because she turns back to Brock to talk only to be cut off by a yellow blur.

"Pikachu get back here." The male voice calls, footsteps ringing heavily across the gym. Misty drops her head to the table, groaning, as Pikachu settles in front of the phone

"Hey Pikachu," Brock says, laughing, as the electric rodents ears pop forward in excitement to see Brock on the other end. Pikachu bounces in front of Misty's head as she groans on the table murmuring something that suspiciously like a plea for death. Ash comes into view and, paying no attention to the phone, quickly scoops up Pikachu before he tangles in Misty's hair. The Horsea cries for shared attention leaving a pajama clad Ash no choice but to pick the young Pokémon up in his other arm. It's a move that is just so very Ash and yet, Brock wouldn't have blinked to see the same image in one of those pokémon trainer calendars that occasionally made their way through the pokémon centers.

Misty takes one look at Ash before leaning her head up to glare at the screen. "Not. A. Word." She grits out. As though surprised, Ash tears his eyes away from Misty to finally look at the phone.

"Hey Brock." His voice is excited and warm, but his eyes quickly return to a still groaning Misty whose head has found its way back to the table. He shifts Pikachu to his shoulder and rubs her back. The groaning stops.

"Ash." Brock replies in greeting. "I thought you were in Unova?"

"Kalos actually….err sorry I didn't call. It was kind of a last minute trip."

"It's cool man. I understand." Brock says before lowering his voice, "I mean, I'd skip a few regions for some time with my girlfriend when her house was empty." Ash stops rubbing Misty's back to scratch his nose, flushing faintly against tan skin. In halfhearted unison both proclaim that they are not dating the other but Brock pays it no mind. Ash has obviously, without telling anyone else, made a long trip from Kalos to spend time with Misty and Misty alone while no one else was in Cerulean. If more damning evidence existed, Brock wasn't entirely sure what it could be. He thinks he's finally got the upper hand in this train wreck of a conversation when Misty sits up and smiles viciously. For the second time in the night Brock knows he's in trouble.

"You wouldn't know what to do with a girl and an empty house." She says and Ash shakes his head.

"That doesn't make any sense Mist. Do you remember that time in Scissor Street when Pikachu slept in Brock's room and then wouldn't look at him or Suzy the entire rest of the time we were there?" Pikachu makes an embarrassed _chu_ in punctuation as Ash looks thoughtfully confused towards Misty. She and Brock both gasp.

"Well played, Ketchum." Misty laughs as Brock hangs his head in shame. "I didn't think you had it in you."

"Clearly. Anyway, you've been up too long." Ash says, placing the Horsea back in its tank. "It was nice talking to you Brock, I'll try to call again later but I am taking this one," he jerks his hand towards Misty, "and we are going back to sleep." He picks Misty up without warning and, as she is kicking and screaming, reaches forward to turn off the phone. Ash stops, mid gesture, and flushes once more. "Hey Brock?"

"Yes Ash?"

"If you could, umm, not tell my mother where I am?" He's blushing again and Brock laughs: apparently more damning evidence does exist.

"Yeah man of course."

"Thanks" and he shuts off the phone. The last thing Brock hears, before it fades to black, is Misty promising that Ash will regret this choice and Ash returning that he didn't know she was into that kind of thing.

A/N- So in my mind that kinda ends it, at least until the anime does something I feel like I need to acknowledge. Though, that doesn't necessarily mean this story is done because it was fun and I am sure I'll be back, but that's all I had planned. Keep an eye out though because I'm back and hopefully writing for a while yet


	5. Seeing Red

A/N: So I was done with this fic, completely and totally. Unless, of course, the anime did something I felt the need to respond to.

…

…

Damn the anime

Seeing Red

There's a ringing coming from somewhere in the room; a few soft notes repeating on loop. Brock winces his eyes tighter and rolls over, wearily ignoring the noise. The ringing repeats, louder and more insistent. Brock groans and pulls his blankets above his head. It's late…maybe...or early...he's not entirely sure which-but it doesn't matter. No one should be calling now. The ringing repeats again, volume mind numbingly loud. Brock groans and opens his eyes, blinking against the twilight darkness of the room. Blearily he glances around and...hang on…

This...isn't his apartment

The walls are white and these are not his sheets and...

Is that...wooden plank above his head...is it the ceiling?

Where?

Fuck!

Brock's eyes shoot open and it's only due to years of practice throughout a sleep deprived residency that he avoids concussing himself on the upper bunk.

He's in the on-call room. He's on call. And the phone? It's been ringing for a while.

Heart speeding quick attack fast, Brock takes a few breaths and crosses to the small phone across from the beds. He flicks on a small light-thankful that he seems to be the only doctor in the on-call room- and grabs a water from the fridge under the phone counter. Sitting down, Brock takes in another deep breath through his nose and blows it slowly out through his mouth. He grins wryly, composed as he's going to get, and presses the small button on the monitor screen to answer the phone.

He doesn't even get a greeting out before a voice pours through the speakers, panic dripping from every word. Sleep deprived as he is, it's a few moments before Brock is able to hear anything in the rapid fire speech beyond gibberish and a few moments beyond that before he's able to decipher the image on screen as Ash. Ash, on the other hand, seemed somehow to know it was Brock even before his own image had resolved on screen.

Or...

Maybe he'd just assumed that Brock would pick up and begun speaking.

Either way, its seconds into Ash's tirade before Brock is finally able to pick out the opening volley in what he is sure will be an exhausting night.

"Brock, Brock, oh Brock." Ash cries.

Brock breathes in deeply through his nose and takes sip of his water.

"Thank Arceus it's you. Oh Brock, I'm dead. I am so dead. She's going to kill me. I'm a dead man. Brock, she kissed me and now I'm dead." Ash continues, not even taking the time to breathe between words.

"Ash, breathe." Brock answers calmly.

Ash opens his mouth, and Brock can practically see the words beginning to form even though face is growing red.

"I mean it." Brock says, supported by an annoyed _chuu_ from Pikachu on Ash's shoulder. "Right," Brock nods, agreeing with Pikachu, "People are not supposed to be that shade of blue."

Ash scoffs but takes a few breaths.

Brock smiles. "Good, now, what was all of that about?"

"She's going to kill me, Brock." Ash moans, dropping his head to the counter in from of the phone's vid-screen. Pikachu grunts an annoyed _pii_ at being knocked from Ash's shoulder but settles in front of the vid-screen. He pats Ash's head lightly, _kaa_ ing in what Brock assumes must be a comforting tone.

Brock blinks, "who's going to kill you, Misty?"

Ash nods miserably, hat bouncing against the camera. "She kissed me, and now I'm dead."

"Wait, Misty kissed you and now you're dead?" Brock asks, confusion coloring his words. "I was pretty sure that you two had done more than that."

The only patch of Ash's skin that Brock can see-the one between his hair and jacket collar- glows magmar red. He moans, misery muffled into the countertop, and Pikachu pats his head once more.

"Seriously though," Brock says. "Misty probably wouldn't kill you for kissing her. You're fine. Now, I'm on call, I love you man but I have to go and get some sleep before they call me with an emergency."

Ash mumbles something into the countertop and Brock freezes mid reach to the button to end the call. He could end it here, he should end it here, but Ash rarely calls unless it's important.

This had better be important.

"Ash, I can't understand you when you talk into the table." Brock sighs and rubs his temples. "Look, it's late. I need to sleep. Unless you have something important to say, I have to go."

Ash sits up, staring red faced into the phone's camera. "It wasn't Misty who kissed me." he whines.

"Who kissed you?" Brock asks.

"Serena." Ash replies plainly.

Brock blinks. The name is familiar but he can't quite place it in the haze of his mind. He glances at his watch and just barely swallows back a groan. He's slept an hour in the last 24 and still has 6 left on call.

Caffeine.

He needs caffeine.

"Who?" Brock asks, reaching for the coffee that he knows is on the table.

"Girl I was traveling with"

"Huh." Brock replies. He takes a sip of his coffee and grimaces. Its hours old and stale. He could make more but...it's been on the burner and it's...almost warm?

"Huh?" Ash asks. "That's all you have for me? Huh?"

Brock nods, picks up the pot and, bracing himself, knocks half of it back. "She won't kill you." He chokes out, face twisting around the bitter coffee. "You two aren't kids anymore. Just tell her. When did this happen anyway?"

"Like a week ago."

Brock's eyes widen. "A week ago?" he asks, aghast. He whistles, shaking his head. "Yeah, you might be dead."

Ash moans again and drops his head to the table with a resounding thunk. Pikachu pats his hair again and _kaa_ s.

"Why didn't you tell her?" Brock asks, eyeing the coffee pot distrustfully. Ash mumbles something that is lost to the table and Brock sighs. "You know I can't understand you when you talk into the counter."

"I wanted to tell her in person." Ash groans.

Brock nods. "Seems like a plan so long as she doesn't from out from someone else."

"About that…" Ash starts, whatever else he says is lost to the phone ringing.

Brock shakes his head and holds up a hand, cutting Ash off. "Hey, man I've got to go. I will call you back."

Ash's eyes widen. "My life is falling apart here, Brock-o. You can't just leave me."

"Look, Ash." Brock replies, pushing his hair into some semblance of order. "I want to help but there's another call coming through."

"So, ignore it." Ash whines. "Your friends are more important than some random call.

"Ash," Brock chastises, shocked at Ash's reply. Pikachu glares at his trainer and, with an annoyed _pika_ , smacks him with his tail.

Ash glares at Pikachu but the pokémon replies with a string of chatter that has Ash's eyes softening. He looks at Brock apologetically. "Sorry, Brock. I forgot you were on call."

"It's okay, Ash." Brock replies, fastening his lab coat. "Look, it could be nothing and I do want to help you. I'll put you on hold. If it's nothing, I'll be back in a few minute."

Ash nods and Brock reaches forward to press the hold button, smiling as Ash's face fades to black. Taking a deep breath, Brock settles himself down and presses the button to answer the next call.

He does not even get a word out before a feminine voice claims that, "He's a dead man, Brock."

Brock sighs, near instantly recognizing Misty's voice. "Who's a dead man, Misty?" Brock asks.

"Who else?" Misty replies, face resolving into an angry scowl.

Brock picks up the rest of the coffee and downs it, grimacing as he swallows. He's on call. They know he's on call. They also know that him being on call means that it is Tracey's turn to deal with their...whatever this has become. Brock sighs deeply and sets more coffee to brew. They're not going to call Tracey; he may as well just... give up and settle in for the fight. "He is half the world away, what can he possibly have done this time?"

"Oh, I don't know." Misty says breezily. "Just kissed some random girl."

"Why do you care?" Brock asks, exasperation bleeding into his tone.

Misty tilts her head at him, raising her eyebrow, "You knew already." she accuses. "Arceus, he told you. He's on the other line, isn't he?"

"Maybe." Brock replies. "Just...why do you care? You haven't gotten this worked up over anything he's done in a while."

"Gee, Brock, I don't know. Maybe it was the fact that I woke up to this." She states, holding up a paper.

Brock squints to read the screen, offering a low whistle when he's finally able to make out the somewhat fuzzy image of a young male trainer with a Pikachu on his shoulder kissing a young female trainer with honey blonde hair. "Romance on the League Circuit?" He asks, puzzling out the blurry words over the image.

Misty nods, "He's dead." She says.

Brock huffs out a sigh and rubs his temples. "Why do you even have a copy of that?"

"Lily is shooting a movie in Kalos and apparently we just, "she pitches her voice higher, "Like have to know like every time she's, like, mentioned."

"Ah," Brock says. "So...have you heard his side of it?"

"Don't care, going to kill him."

"Ok," Brock says, taking a deep breath. "I'm going to add him to this call so that we can all talk about this. But this? Right here? This is stupid. You two are over twenty years old, I should not have to break up your fights."

"Arceus, Brock I don't want to talk to him." Misty whines.

Brock smirks. "Too late." he says and presses the button to add Ash to the call.

"Hey Brock-o is everything-" Ash begins, trailing off with widened eyes as soon as his image resolves. He opens and mouth and shuts it just as quickly-a fantastic magikarp impression, before glaring at brock. "Traitor," he hisses darkly. Pikachu smacks his head with his tail.

"Thank you, Pikachu." Misty utters, tone frigid.

Pikachu looks towards the phone, ears twitching to hear Misty's voice and launches into a volley of excited chatter.

"It's nice to see you too, Pikachu." Misty smiles. "Your trainer though, him I could do without."

Pikachu looks towards Misty and tilts his head, blinking widely. He turns from Misty to Ash, still glaring at Brock and then Back to Misty who is scowling at Ash. Pikachu grumbles an exasperated _chuu_ and smacks his head with one of his paws.

"You and me both, buddy." Brock commiserates. He breathes out deeply and nods. "Okay, talk. One of you. Both of you. I don't care. Just talk. There are six hours left in my shift and I would like at least a short nap before an actual emergency comes up."

Misty's glare softens as she turns from Ash to address Brock. "Brock, I am so sorry. We don't need to talk. Ash and I are through so there is nothing to talk about."

"Oh come on, Mist. Don't say that. It didn't mean anything." Ash pleads.

"If it didn't mean anything why did I have to find out from a fucking tabloid?"

Brock winces. Misty's voice is too calm, too casual. This is the calm before the screaming storm. He grabs the coffee pot, coffee finally finished brewing, and takes a sip.

Ash's head hits the table again. "I wanted to tell you in person." He mumbles.

"Yeah," Misty scoffs, "And how did that work out for you?"

"Not well." Ash mumbles.

Brock snorts, drowning a sarcastic giggle in his pot of coffee. He shouldn't be laughing at this but...sleep deprivation. He's going to blame it on sleep deprivation.

Pikachu shoots him an odd look, his head titled with his ears down. His nose even crinkles, bringing his red electric sacs closer together so that they almost form the points on either ends of the line of his mouth. He _kaa_ 's confusedly but Ash and Misty don't even turn from their stare off.

"It was over a week ago!" Misty replies, voice beginning to reach truly glass shattering pitches.

Ash winces. "I know." he moans, miserably.

"Were you even going to tell me?"

Ash huffs out a sigh and rolls his eyes. "Yes, when I got to Cerulean."

"Ash, you're not getting here for another week. You weren't going to tell me for two weeks?"

Even Brock swallows hard at that tone. It's filled with hurt and anger and betrayal and backed with more than a slight threat of being malleted out of existence.

Ash shrinks back from the phone and looks down. "I'm sorry?"

"Damn straight you're sorry," Misty hisses. "Ugh, I bet you even liked it. Jerk."

Brock scrubs his face with his hands and Pikachu slumps forward, ears drooping in defeat. They both know where this is going.

"Did not." Ash hisses, staring at Misty's face with all traces of apology drained to cold anger.

"Did too." Misty replies.

Brock groans. Pikachu offers a warning _pika_.

"Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not."

"Did too."

Brock takes another sip of his coffee, feeling more awake as the static of the way too familiar argument washes over him.

Pikachu offers another warning, a darkly uttered _kaa_ as his cheeks spark up. Ash ignores it in favor of another volley. "Did not."

"Did too." Misty replies, evenly.

"Did..." Ash begins only to be cut off by a short but intense shock. Ash sputters, coughing out what looks like char and groans. "Quit it, Pikachu."

Pikachu launches into rapid fire chatter at Ash before turning to Misty and offering the same.

Misty grumbles and sticks out her tongue. "You can't shock me, Pikachu."

Pikachu glares at her and twitches his ears towards Brock as though saying to the older trainer, "your turn."

Brock nods. "No, he can't." he sighs. "But is this did not/did too stuff actually getting either of you anywhere? Has it ever?"

To his relief, Ash and Misty both shake their heads.

"Then what will get you somewhere?" Brock asks.

Ash shrugs and Misty rolls her eyes.

"I told you, Brock. We're through." Misty states.

"Oh come on, Mist." Ash pleads once more.

Misty's eyes soften and Brock lets out a breath that he hadn't known he was holding.

"Okay, Ash." Misty starts.

"It didn't mean anything. She was just a kid with a crush." Ash replies, smiling. "Besides, you are way better at it then she is."

Brock's head hits the table as Misty explodes into an angry red.

She screams wordlessly for a moment. "I can't believe you were comparing us."

"I wasn't. It was a...I mean..." Ash replies, inarticulately. He looks to Brock, begging for help. "It was a compliment?" He asks.

"How in the world could that be a compliment?"

Ash scrubs a hand over his face and looks to Brock again, pleading.

Brock sighs. "He means that he….was only thinking of you during the kiss...or something. Not as a direct comparison, Misty."

"Yeah. That. Exactly that, Mist." Ash cries, latching onto Brock's words with such fervor that Brock has to cover his mouth with his hand to hide a smile

Misty shakes her head and glares, fighting a smile at the corner of her mouth. "Yeah," she sighs, finally shaking her head and giving into the smile. "Okay." She blinks and her smile twists into a mischievous smirk.

Brock groans, never in his life has anything that followed that smirk been good for his sanity.

"Arceus, though, Ash. You are a moron." Misty says, eyes flicking to Brock even as she addresses Ash. Pikachu agrees with a solemn _kaa_. "You know I can still take back that yes, right?"

"You wouldn't." Ash grumbles, edge of panic rising again in his tone.

"..." Brock's mouth drops open and nothing comes out. What just happened to this conversation? Had she really just? She can't have meant...

"..." Brock opens his mouth once more to no sound, his breath is caught in his throat, stuck. He's genuinely worried that he might not recover.

Misty's eyes flick over to Brock's and she smothers a giggle with her hand. "I don't know…." she practically sings. "It might save me an awful lot of trouble down the line."

Pikachu offers an agreeable _chuu_ and Ash groans. "Not you too, Pikachu."

"..." Brock tries again. The phone rings, a small icon in the corner flashing to let Brock know that he has another call coming through. He has to answer it. He knows he has to answer it but...he can't seem to move his hands or his mouth or...anything really.

"Thanks, Pikachu." Misty smiles. "See, Ash. Even Pikachu isn't sure you can handle... I mean… it's a pretty big _promise_ you know," she continues, underscored with a warbled _kachu_ from Ash's shoulder.

The icon flashes larger, blocking Ash's face on the screen so that Brock can't see him when he replies, "I do understand promises, Mist."

Brock takes a deep breath. He should ask them how in the world they think they can manage this. He should ask them what this...engagement…means for their futures. He should ask them...a lot of things. He should but, when he finally manages to convince his body to make any noise it's only a weak, "Guys?" that he manages to cough out.

They ignore him completely, and he's not sure how he ever thought it would work.

"Oh," Misty says, smirking, "like how you promised me my bike back?"

"There's a call," Brock tries again, voice a little louder and only cracking slightly. On the screen, the icon flashes red.

They ignore him again and he huffs out a sigh. He practically doesn't exist during arguments like this. It's been that way…since he met them.

Ash sighs, "You got your bike back."

"Yeah," Misty scoffs, "because Joy fixed it."

"Hey." Brock says firmly, the icon on the screen enlarging so that he can barely see either Ash or Misty. "I need to go."

"Okay," Misty says easily. "We'll just...settle this in a battle then when you reach Cerulean, Ash."

"You really think you can beat me?" Ash asks, grin audible even in his voice.

"A pokémon master wanna-be? Please, I can destroy you with Psyduck."

"Is that really the best way to settle this?" Brock pleads, head in his hands. The phone has begun ringing loudly, he can just hear Ash and Misty over the constant tone.

"Yes!" They cry together.

"Arceus, I need to go." Brock moans.

"Then go, Brock. We're fine." Misty says. "And thanks."

"Yeah, Brock-o. We're fine." Ash agrees and then pauses, eyes widening. "Only, could you not mention this to mom?"

He opens his mouth to say something, anything back and finally just sighs. He nods at them, smiling and waves before depressing the button to end the call. He smacks his head on the table as they are off screen and is still groaning when a nurse rushes in seconds later.

"Doctor, they're pag…" she stops, blinking at his face. "Are you alright?"

Brock groans and sits up, scrubbing a hand over his face. He nods.

"Then what…" The nurse asks.

Brock sighs deeply and grabs a stethoscope from the chair, "I just…" he begins and then stops, breaking into tired laughing. "Sometimes I wish they had just stayed ten forever," he sighs.


End file.
